President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that Government has set aside €20 million for the establishment of a National Vaccines Institute to oversee the domestic production of vaccines, especially for COVID-19.
The funding for the project is part of an €82.5 million facility that the European Investment Bank approved for Ghana to invest in healthcare delivery, which includes the provision of specialist medical equipment and medicines to health facilities across the country.
Some 1,255 people have died as a result of the COVID-19 with about 973 persons presently battling with the virus.
Government is eager to manufacture vaccines domestically to help the country mitigate the impact of vaccine supply constraints and disruptions at the global level that has led to supply delays and shortages in many countries.
President Akufo-Addo made the disclosures on Wednesday in his 27th update on measures being taken to address the coronavirus pandemic affecting the country.
He indicated that the country is expecting additional delivery of 8,529,090 doses of vaccines by the end of the year to augment the 17,736,710 received so far by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
With 6,420,973 doses out of the 17.7 million administered so far, he assured of the safety of the vaccines and encouraged the citizenry get vaccinated, stressing that “the vaccines are safe. They will not harm you. They will protect you and your family”.
President Akufo-Addo noted that getting the jab was the best route out of the pandemic.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasised the potency of the vaccines in reducing the risk of death, hospitalisation, and the spread of the virus.
Borders still closed
President Akufo-Addo said despite difficulties occasioned by border closures, reopening of the country’s land borders would not be now, especially when the country looked to preventing a fourth wave of the pandemic.
“As you know, the decision to close our borders, which are a source of livelihoods for many, was necessary because we wanted to limit the importation of the virus into the country. We are monitoring the level of the threat of the disease and ongoing vaccinations in our neighbouring countries, as soon as we are satisfied it is safe to do so, the borders will be open.
“Until then, I believe this is not the right time to reopen our land borders, especially as we are determined to prevent a 4th wave, and, as such, they will remain closed until further notice”, Akufo-Addo stressed
He admonished the citizens to be responsible throughout the yuletide by ensuring that their actions and inactions did not contribute to the spread of the virus.
This, President Akufo-Addo noted, will minimize the possibility of a surge in the number of infections, as it occurred during last year’s Christmas celebrations.
“We should be guided by what transpired last Christmas, where there was a sharp spike in the number of COVID infection cases and deaths in the immediate months of January and February, 2021. We should avoid the repetition of such a scenario after this year’s Christmas celebration.
“Our best bet in the fight remains to adhere to the enhanced hygiene, social distancing, and mask-wearing protocols, and getting vaccinated,” he admonished.
Additional measures
President Akufo-Addo reiterated some measures by government in dealing with the pandemic.
In this regard, he highlighted the expansion of infrastructure “including oxygen supply and reach, particularly with respect to testing and treatment centres, and the training of health professionals across the country, in the care of severe and critically ill persons”.
President Akufo-Addo urged Ghanaians to avail themselves to be vaccinated, while observing the respective safety protocols prescribed by the Ghana Health Service and the World Health Organisation.
Scepticism
Meanwhile, a section of Ghanaians has expressed the view that vaccination should not be made ‘compulsory’.
National Communication Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi is among those who are insisting that the vaccination should not be imposed on citizens against their wishes and individual preferences.
